Product Description

When Fatima Shihabi, an Iraqi poet and journalist, learns that she is marked for death by Saddam Hussein's secret police, she flees Iraq, evading Saddam's helicopters hunting her in the desert, only to discover that no other country will grant her asylum. Her flight from Saddam's vengeance, and the extraordinary efforts of Charles Sherman, a Wall Street lawyer, to save her life, is the subject of this gripping novel, inspired by a true story.

How a resourceful Muslim woman and a determined American man, bound by their common humanity, love for each other, and fate, manage to thwart a notorious symbol of evil and depravity and, in the bargain, achieve greater self-understanding and eventual redemption sends a powerful message to the post-9/11 world. The novel stands as a testament to the importance of individual effort and perserverance in a world wracked by cataclysmic conflict and beset by profound cultural misunderstanding. The story of Fatima and Charles points the way toward eventual reconciliation and synthesis between Islam and the West.

The novel is set in the fall of 2002, a few months before the American invasion of Iraq, in New York, Paris, the French Alps, Saudi Arabia and Baghdad.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #818404 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review by Luan Gaines (Amazon top 100 reviewer) on March 31, 2008 at www.Amazon.com
"[A] tale of extraordinary courage . . . , a lone Muslim woman with a soaring voice." Four stars.

Review by Janet Robertson on March 16, 2008 at www.Amazon.com
"[A] gripping story of political oppression, moral courage, and the binding and blinding power of love." Five stars.

Review by Michele Cozzens on April 1, 2008 at www.Amazon.com
"D.J. Murphy is clearly a writing talent and I appreciate time spent reading A Thousand Veils. Very well done." Four stars.

Customer Reviews

Poignant Love Story, Harrowing Adventure, Beautiful Poetry
A Thousand Veils has it all. It is a beautifully written, poignant story of the love between Fatima Shihabi, an Iraqi journalist and poet who is fleeing Saddam, and Charles Sherman, a powerful Wall Street lawyer who tries to save her. It is a harrowing adventure with Saddam's secret police pursuing Fatima by helicopter through the desert of Iraq and tracking her in Saudi Arabia, Paris and the French Alps. It is an insight into Muslim culture; the history of Iraq and the split between the Sunnis and Shiites; the issues facing women in the Middle East; the plight of refugees seeking asylum in other countries; and the psychological effects of September 11 on the survivors of the collapse of the World Trade towers. And, finally, there are several beautiful, original poems, in particular "The End of the World" in which Fatima describes the effects of war on women and their daughters. A Thousand Veils is a book which you will find difficult to put down and whose characters will long remain with you.

Moving, important and unputdownable
This is an amazing book. First off, unlike so many self-published books, the writing is excellent and the editing and proof-reading spot-on, so none of those winces as you find yet another glaring error. The book, although a novel based on fact, reads like non-fiction - which is not a problem as some of the events are quite astounding and might seem unlikely in a novel.

The book centres on the relationship between Charles Sherman, a Wall Street Lawyer, and Fatima Shihabi, an Iraqi woman poet and journalist who has come onto the wrong side of Saddam Hussain's secret police. As Fatima forges her own destiny and starts to escape persecution through her own strength and intelligence, Charles is trying to help her from America, alongside her brother. Charles' life is stressed and shot through with survivor guilt from 9/11 and the pull between his partner, Sarah, and his work, and Fatima does not believe that America truly means to help. Both have their lives and attitidues changed in this fast-paced and heartbreaking book.

There are some upsetting and vivid scenes around 9/11 and human rights abuses (it was nearly too much for me and I had to slightly skim some fight scenes) but these were horribly necessary for the validity of the book and its story. This dark side is redeemed by the strong thread of love and humanity, and not least by the feisty figure of Fatima's daughter Latifa.

An important and moving book but also unputdownable.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
A THOUSAND VEILS is not a traditional young adult book. But the story will have appeal for older teens as well as adults. In our post 9/11 days, the cultures of the Middle East and America are extremely separate.

D. J. Murphy writes a compelling and page-turning suspense novel. A note on the copyright page alerts the reader that the events are inspired by and in part based on a true story. Having read that notice, I was skeptical on how the story would present itself. I shouldn't have doubted Murphy's ability to craft an amazing tale.

The reader is captured from the first pages. Fatima Shihabi is awakened during the night by a cryptic phone call. She knows immediately that her life is in danger and she must flee within the hour. From that moment on, the story unfolds with heart-stopping terror and anticipation.

Fatima has grown up in Iraq and loves her country and her family with all her heart. What she doesn't love is the deterioration of her culture under Saddam Hussein's regime. As a writer, she has been able to publish women and children interest stories in her country. But after subtly injecting a jab at the government in one of her articles, she is imprisoned and tortured. Only by her brother's connections in the government is she freed.

After her scare, she returns to fluff pieces that will not get her into trouble. But that doesn't last long, and after the fateful call, she is on a journey for her freedom and her life.

With a call to her brother Omar in the United States, Fatima's life falls into the hands of an unlikely Wall Street lawyer, Charles Sherman. Charles is known for his big corporate deals, not for pro-bono refugee work. But his boss and mentor, Art, believes Charles is the right one for the case, having spent many years in Saudi Arabia brokering deals for the Arabs. Unknowingly, Charles is not content with his current life. Taking on Fatima's case will cause a life-altering change.

Charles and Fatima eventually meet on foreign soil and, through intellectual conversations, they come to know and love each other. Fatima points out the failings of the United States government, while giving insight into the women and the culture she has lived and loved. Charles returns repeatedly to his fascination with the veils that the women in Fatima's culture use to cover themselves. Fatima opens Charles' eyes, revealing that everyone wears a veil of some creation.

Murphy weaves the story beautifully. It captures the human spirit of survival and perseverance. Each character discovers hidden strengths and abilities that they never knew they had. The persecution and resistance Fatima encounters in every step of her journey will inflame the reader, and the ending will leave you amazed at the human spirit.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr